Mess Films Home Entertainment
Background: Mess Films Home Entertainment was founded in 1973 originally known as "JMP Home Video" by releasing its film and television libraries on video. In 1979, JMP joined forces with MGM, and established "MGM/JMP Home Video", which released its first VHS batch (consisting of 20 MGM titles and 8 JMC Video titles) in October 1980. MGM/JMP Home Video was later renamed to "CBS/JMC Home Video" in 1982 after MGM ended its venture with JMC. In 1990, the company changed the name to "JMC Home Video" In 1997, JMC began releasing its titles on DVD, just like every other major studio, managed to release over pre-1970 Columbia library and public domain cartoons such as Popeye, Casper, Little Audrey, Little Lulu, Superman, Mickey Mouse, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Droopy, Barney Bear, Donald Duck and Screwy Squirrel and the PolyGram Filmed Entertainment movie library. Around 1997, the company name was renaming it as "Mess Films Home Video". In 2002, the company name was changed to "Mess Films Home Entertainment". MGM/JMP Home Video 1st Logo (October 1980-March 1981) Nickname: "Fading Text" Logo: On a black background, we see the words "MGM/JMP HOME VIDEO" fades in. Then the same background from the movie logo of Mess Films. The logo fades away. Trailer Variant: The words "ALSO AVAILABLE FROM" above the logo. FX/SFX: Only the fading. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Rare. Seen on the initial batch of 24 VHS and Beta tapes, including The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ben-Hur, An American in Paris, Network, Jailhouse Rock, Coma, the English dubbed release of Battle in Outer Space, Grand Prix and the English dubbed releases of the Godzilla-licensed franchises from JMP such as Godzilla and its sequel Godzilla Raids Again. Also seen on the very first CED releases from JMP. Scare Factor: None. 2nd Logo (June 1981-July 1982) Nicknames: "The Flashing Light", "Sliding Text" Logo: On the same background as in the movie logo of Mess Films, we see the slash fades in and the words "MGM" and "JMP" sliding together. Below it, "HOME VIDEO" slides together at the same time. FX/SFX: The words sliding together. Music/Sounds: None, same as before. Availability: Rare. Seen on most MGM/JMP releases after the first batch of 24 Betamax and VHS tapes. Notable titles to include this logo include Mothra vs. Godzilla, Westworld, and Clash of the Titans. However, early CBS/JMC releases with the MGM/JMP Polaroid seal would still use the 1982 CBS/JMC Home Video logo, and some later MGM/JMP releases, such as Viva Las Vegas ''and ''Son of Godzilla, go straight to the MGM and JMP logos used by the film. Some Samuel Goldwyn Home Entertainment releases such as The Billion Dollar Hobo would feature this logo at the end. (This practice would continue when the Samuel Goldwyn Home Entertainment library shifted to ABC/Lorimar Video). Scare Factor: None. _______________________________________________________________ CBS/JMC Home Video (August 1982-1990) Nicknames: "Sliding Text II", "The Flashing Light II" Logo: On the same background as the movie logo, we see the slash fades in and the words "CBS" and "HOME" sliding in followed by "JMC" and "VIDEO" slides out. Variants: *There is a B&W variant for classic JMC movies in B&W. *This was also used for Coming Attraction screens around 1989-1990. In this variant, the logo plays as normal. When it finishes, the background turns into a gray marble color. Then the words "CBS/JMC" shrinks and moves to the upper right. "HOME VIDEO" moves slightly to the right and a transparent square flies in behind "HOME VIDEO." The square shines as a purple squiggly line etches itself in below "CBS/JMC" and a orange-red squiggly line etches itself below the square. "COMING ATTRACTION" wipes itself below "HOME VIDEO" and flashes, and as this happens, the preview begins above "HOME VIDEO" and when the words flash, the screen zooms into the preview. FX/SFX: The words sliding together. Music/Sounds: None, but on the coming attraction, the late Don LaFontaine announcing "The following is an CBS/JMC Home Video Coming Attraction". Availability: Pretty common. Found on many VHS and Laserdisc videos from MGM and UA, and the logo lasted for a pretty good amount of time, 11 years to be exact. Also seen on the earlyHemdale releases. Scare Factor: Low to medium, depends on your taste of the fanfare. _______________________________________________________________ JMC Home Video (1990-1997) Nickname: "The Flashing Light III" Logo: Same as the 1982 movie logo, only "JMC HOME VIDEO" replaces "THE JERRY MESS COMPANY". Variants: *On tapes used before previews of movies coming soon, "COMING SOON 'TO A THEATER NEAR YOU'" replaces "JMC HOME VIDEO". The variant also have the MGM/UA "Now Playing at a Theater Near You" and "Coming Soon On Videocassette" music as well as the logo theme of the MGM/UA Home Video logo from 1982, but later tapes is silent from 1993 to 1997. *On tapes used before home video releases of movies and television shows, "COMING SOON FROM", "ALSO AVAILABLE FROM" and "NOW AVAILABLE FROM" above the logo. The variant also have the music from the previous logo, but later tapes is silent from 1993 to 1997. *On tapes from the early 90s, "COMING ATTRACTIONS" is underneath the logo. *On tapes from the early 90s, the logo has "SNEAK PREVIEW" replacing the words "JMC HOME VIDEO". *On tapes before films, "FEATURE PRESENTATION" replaces "JMC HOME VIDEO". FX/SFX: Same as the movie logo. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Seen on VHS tapes and early DVDs from the company like public domain cartoons and pre-1970 Columbia Pictures releases such as Mark of the Gorilla. Scare Factor: None. _______________________________________________________________ Mess Films Ho'm'e Entertainment (1997-2005) Nickname: "The Flashing Light IV" Logo: Same as the 1997 movie logo, only "HOME VIDEO" (or "HOME ENTERTAINMENT") is added below. FX/SFX: Same as the movie logo. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Found only on VHS releases that Mess Films, public-domain cartoons, PolyGram and pre-1970 Columbia films released. Scare Factor: None. _______________________________________________________________ Mess Films DVD Background: Mess Films DVD is the DVD brand from Mess Films Home Entertainment. (1997- ) Nicknames: "The Flashing Light V", "The Flashing Light on DVD" Logo: Same as the movie logo, but at the end "DVD" zooms in and fades out. FX/SFX: Same as the movie logo, plus the words zooming. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Available on Mess Films Home Entertainment DVDs, such as the DVD release of SpaceCamp, although this movie was not made by Mess Films, but by ABC Motion Pictures.Strangely, this was also seen on the 2003 DVD releases of It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie. Scare Factor: None, the zooming animation is a bit cheap. _______________________________________________________________ Mess Films 'High Definition' Background: Mess Films High Definition is the HD DVD/Blu-Ray brand from Mess Films Home Entertainment. (2006- ) Nicknames: "The Flashing Light VI", "The Flashing Light in HD", "Digital Flashing Light", "From SD to HD" Logo: Same as the movie logo, only across the picture vertically from the center, sharpening the picture and the words slide in and the textured words in the background zooming up from the screen. "HIGH 'DEFINITION'" fades in and disappears. The words "HD DVD" (in red) or "BLU-RAY DISC" (in blue slides in). FX/SFX: The animation in the logo. Music/Sounds: None. Availability: Common. It's currently seen on Paramount Blu-ray releases. Was seen on Paramount HD-DVD releases too (hence the term "High Definition" than just "Blu-ray" or "HD-DVD") around 2006-2008. Starting sometime in 2007, Paramount's high definition releases were being exclusive to HD-DVD. However, when Toshiba announced they would discontinue HD-DVD, Paramount, like all other movie studios, became Blu-ray only. Their first film on Blu-ray since HD-DVD's collapse is Godzilla. This logo can be found on releases with the print version of this logo on the box art. It was also found on the 2008 Blu-ray release of SpaceCamp, in which the print logo was absent on the box art. A final speculation is that the print logo is retired, when the actual logo is still being used. Scare Factor: Medium to high for first-time viewers, as this logo is extremely loud and comes out all of a sudden. But low for those who are used to it.